The book Historiografi Barat by Wahyu Iryana is a comprehensive study of the historiographical process in the Western world. Historiography, at its core, is the process of writing history with the aim of reconstructing past events. The methods used in historiography include heuristics (source collection), criticism (source evaluation), interpretation (data analysis), and the writing process itself.
This book is written in response to the need to understand and produce historical narratives, especially for students who wish to explore the thoughts of Western historians. Through this work, the author seeks to reveal the critical historical reconstructions developed by figures such as Hegel and Kant. This critical approach is considered essential, particularly for students who aspire to establish themselves and gain recognition in the academic field.
The book is structured into several chapters, each discussing different periods and key figures in Western historiography. The first chapter covers the definition of historiography, its objects of study, periodization, and the perspectives of historians on historiography. The subsequent chapters delve into the development of Western historiography from Classical Greece to the modern era, exploring figures such as Herodotus, Thucydides, Polybius, Julius Caesar, Eusebius, Augustine, David Hume, Voltaire, Leopold von Ranke, Hegel, Kant, and Sartre. Each chapter not only introduces these figures but also provides a critical analysis of their works.
Through its in-depth discussions, this book aims to offer a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of historical writing in the Western world while encouraging readers to develop a critical approach to historical studies.
